There are various causes of discoloration of the nails (chromonica). For example, approximately fifty percent of such nail dystrophies are caused by fungal infection. However, there are other causes of nail discoloration such as psoriasis, trauma, infections, etc. It is important to determine the underlying causes of nail dystrophy, since it may be a symptom of diseases of the kidney, liver, lung, or other organs.
If there is an underlying cause of the nail dystrophy, it is obvious that that cause be treated in the appropriate fashion to correct the disorder. However, treatment of the underlying disorder may not result in immediate alleviation of the nail dystrophy, e.g., discoloration. The discoloration can be embarrassing, especially on the fingernails. Further, the discoloration can cause embarrassment even on the toenails since many women's and men's shoes expose the nails of the toes.
Pharmaceutical formulations and methods for using the same that do not comprise an antifungal drug as such are disclosed in International Patent Application WO 87/04617; U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,635; and European Patent 292495.